Tom Orsborn: Jackson shrugs at league’s mea culpa

LOS ANGELES, Calif. – Phil Jackson’s initial reaction when asked about the league throwing its referees under the bus for not calling a foul on Derek Fisher in the closing seconds of Game 4 consisted of three words.

“Shoulda, woulda, coulda,” the Lakers coach said.

Prodded to elaborate, Jackson admitted he was surprised the league would make such a statement.

“The league usually doesn’t get themselves involved in that,” Jackson said. “Of course, I have been at the end of a lot of different types of things like that that have happened, so I was kind of surprised.